Bag sealing device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 14, 1953 M. MrrcHKo BAG SEALING DEVICE Filed Aug. 22, 1950 July 14, 1953 M. MrrcHKo 2,645,514

l BAG SEALING DEVICE Filed Aug. 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAG SEALING DEVICE Michael Mitchko, Irvington, N. J. ApplicationAugust 22, 195o, serial No. 180,789

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to bag sealing and identification mechanism. v

A prime object of the present invention is to provide a sealing device that will securely seal the opening in 'the mouth of-a iexible bag 'or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a sealing device with novel means for supporting an identification tag,

Still another object is to provide a sealing device that is tamper proof.

A further object is to provide a novel form of tool for manipulating the sealing device and for printing identification data thereon.

Yet another object is to provide la sealing v'and 'identiiication device that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and highly enicient in use. I

Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from the description thereof to follow taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l 'is a side 'elevation of a bag sealingand identiiication device Vembo dying my 'invention applied to the mouth of a flexible bag. Y l

Figure 2 is a view looking from the top of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a viewlooking rom the rearof Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view looking from the bottom of Figure l. Y Y

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 5 5 of Figure 1. y

Figure 6 is a vertical sectionalview 'taken on the 'plane'of the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is a perspeotive'view of the improved device showing the seal partly broken.

Figure 8 is va perspective view of the improved device showing the manner of attaching an 'identiiication tag.

Figure 9 is a perspective View of the 'tag supporting strap.

Figure l0 is a vertical vsectional view taken on the plane ofthe line I0-I0 of Figure9.

Figure 1l is a side View ofthe sealing and identication device in position on the mouth ofa bag and showing a manipulating tool in operative position'thereon, parts ofthe t'ool being shown broken iaway.

Figure I12 is a view similar to Figure l1 showing the tool partly turned couiterclockwise in sealing operation. i

Figure 13 is a similar view showing the tool turned back-to the position of Figure ll in nal sealing and strip cutting operations.

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view taken fon the plane of the line I'4-'I4 of Figure 11.

Figure 15 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line I5-Ij5 of Figure 12.

Figure 16 is a vertical sectional View taken on vthe plane of the line Iii-I6 of Figure l'3.

Figure 17 is a perspective view of the out foff portion of the sealing strap.

Figure 18 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a modied form of the bag sealing and identification device embodying the invention, and A Figure 19 is a View similar to VFigure v'5 showing the bag sealing and identification device of Figure 18 applied to a bag. Referring to the drawings, the sealing and videntification device is shown applied vto VVthe mouth l of a bag f2 formed of fabric material such as canvas and employed by Vbanks for the transportation of coin. As shown in detail fin Figure 8, the device comprises a plate member 3 of rigid sheet metal having one `'end 4 bent at right angles to the plane of the body of the plate. Adjacent its ends, the plate is provided with instruck prongs 5 and 6. inwardly o prong "5 a kslot 'I and inwardly of prong 6 a slot 8 are formed.

An elongated narrow at strap 9 of pliable metal has one end perforated as indicated at 'lil for securing the strapto the instruck lug 5. The other end II of the strap is pointed to facilitate insertion through the slot 8 which has an upwardly extending curved lip 8a.

The material forming the mouth of the ba'g is gathered together and twisted into folds, as shown in Figures 45 and 6. Plate member 3 and the attached strap 9 are wrapped around the folds of the material and the pointed end I I of the strap is slipped through slot 8.

A tool such as shown in Figures l1, l2 and 13 is now used for tightening the plate and strap around the folds in order to securely seal the opening inthe mouth oi the bag. This tool 'comprises a pair of pivoted arms `i2 and I3, one of which, for example arm I2, may be pivoted to arm I3 by a pivot pin I4. Arm I3 is formed with 'an 'extension I5 having a nose portion Iii at the end thereof. The nose portion is 'formed with a medialslot I'I. A plate member I8 is pivotally connected to the nose portion of the tool by means of an extension I8@ formed along the edge vof one end, saidY extension being looped `'around the inner endof the nose portion and 'frictionally engaging the same so 'that the nose portion may be rotated relatively to said plate member.

Referring to Figure 14, the plate 't8 is 'swung out of the way and the slotted portion I1 of the nose portion of the tool is slid over and along the protruding portion of the strap 9 until said nose portion engages the plate member 3 at which time the slot l'l is in alinement with and adjacent to the slot 8 of the plate member, as shown in Figure 14. Then the plate member i8 is swung in the direction of the arrows in Figure 14 into contact with the plate 3 to bend the free end of the strap 9 around the nose of the tool, as shown in broken lines, and to serve as a finger grip during manipulation of the tool, as shown in Figure 15. The tool is then turned by hand in the direction of the arrow in Figure 15, thereby pulling the strap further through the slot 8 of the plate member 5 and at the same time Winding the free end of the strap around the nose portion, the lip 8a smoothly guiding the strap through the slot. This action shortens the length of strap around the folds and thereby tightens said folds further, as shown in Figure 15.

Rotation of the tool is continued in the direction of the arrow of Figure 15 while the nger of the operator is placed on plate member I8 and pressure exerted thereon to prevent the plate member 3 from turning with the tool. This action pulls the strap 9 further through slot 8 and at the Asame time bends the normally flat end of the plate member 3 bending the prong 6 along the weakened zone formed by the slot to the position at right angles to said plate member 3, at the same time causing the prong 5 to penetrate the strap 9 and said plate end to become attened into contact with the strap, as

shown in Figure 16. The prong at the same time is clinched or bent under the strap and securely fastens the strap to the plate member. lThe foldsof the mouth of the bag are thus securely sealed against opening without destruction of the seal.

Further rotation of the tool in the same direction Will cause the protruding portion of the strap 9 .to be broken or sheared off along the edge of the slot 3'. The sheared 01T portion of the strap is wrapped around the nose portion of the tool and when slipped off said nose portion assumes the shape as shown in Figure 17.

It will be seen from Figure 5 that the folds of material of the mouth of the bag are tightly attened against each other thereby securely sealing the bag at this point. The prongs and the free end of strap 9 are pinched underneath the plate member 3 so that no tool can reach them for breaking of the seal by unauthorized persons.

Referring to Figures 1 and 8, an identification tag IS of thin material such as pasteboard is secured to the strap 9. Suitable identification data such as the name and address of a bank, date, etc. may be printed on the tag. The tag is secured to strap 9 by a metal strap '2li turned upon itself at one end to form a short hook 2| which is looped around the strap 9 and turned upon itself at its other end to form a long hook 22 which is adapted to be inserted through an opening 23 in the tag as shown in Figure 8. Strap 2D is preferably attached to rstrap 9 before the latter is wrapped around the folds of the mouth of the bag. When so attached the tag lies flat against the folds of the mouth of the bag as shown in the drawings and may be glued in place in order t0 prevent unauthorized removal or changing of the tag.

The sealing tool shown in Figures l1, 12 and 13 is also provided with printing mechanism in the form of dies 2d and 25 on the opposite faces 26 and 21 of the arms l2 and i3, respectively, adjacent the pivot pin I4 as shown in Figure l1. By placing the strap 9 between said dies any suitable identication data may be printed thereon such as the letters or initials NBS shown in Figure 4.

When it is desired to break the seal, the hook portion 22 of the strap 2Q is grasped by the fingers of the operator and said hook portion lifted outwardly away from the folds of the mouth of the bag as shown in Figure '7 whereupon a knife edge formed by a flange 28 on the strap adjacent said hook portion will cut across and through strap 9 which is made of flexible metal thereby severing the same so that the sealing device can be removed from the mouth of the bag and the bag opened with no danger of cutting or damaging the bag.

A modification of the invention is shown in Figures 18 and 19 wherein the plate 30 corresponding to the plate 3 has a slot Si in one end thereof through which one end of the strap 32 is looped and pressed t0 attach the strap to the plate, and said end of the plate is also curved as indicated at 33 so as to more closely conform 4to the folds of the bag l when the device is in bag-sealing position as shown in Figure 19.

The slot 313 corresponding to the slot S in the plate 3 is formed by slitting the plate and bending a portion thereof bounded by the slits backwardly over the top side of the plate at one edge of the slot, as indicated at 35, so as to provide a strong well-rounded edge over which the strap is drawn during application of the device to a bag. vThe returned portion 35 also reinforces the body portion of the plate so that the prong 36 corresponding to the prong 6 may be located nearer to the slot and thereby reduce the length of the end portion of the plate beyond the slot and consequently make it more difcult to bend said end portion backwardly in such a way Ias to permit removal of the device from a bag. Preferably the end portion of the plate opposite the strap is also initially curved upwardly as shown in Figure 18 to permit the plate to be more easily slipped over the folded portion of the bag during the application of the device to the bag.

Changes in details of construction might be made Without departing from the principle of the invention,

What I claim is:

1. A sealing device for a bag of flexible material comprising a metal plate for partially encircling the folded mouth of the bag, a flexible metal strap secured at one end to said plate with the main portion of the strap to encircle the remainder of the mouth of the bag, said plate having a slot adjacent one end thereof, the free end of said strap being insertable through said slot and the strap being adjustable lengthwise through the slot for tightening the folds of the mouth of the bag, said end portion of the plate being weakened and bendable along said slot against the main portion of the strap when the strap extends through said slot, said end portion of the plate having a prong projecting from the side thereor toward the strap to penetrate and clinch upon said strap as said end of the plate is bent toward the main portion of the strap after the strap has been tightened around the folds of the bag.

2. A bag seal comprising in combination a bag of eXble material folded at its mouth, a rigid References Cited in the le of this patent' metal plate having opposite bent end portions partly encircling the folded mouth of the bag, a UNITED STATES PATENTS flexible strap connected to one end of said plate Number Name Date ono looped tightly around the remainder of tho 5 771,331 Spector oct. 4, 1904 folded mouth of the bog with the other ond of 11080280 Landorholm Dec. 2, 1913 said strap underlying the other bent end portion 11249)?15 SQhmlb Dec. 11, 1917 of the plate, and a. prong on the second-men- 114933075 HllSChhOIIl May 6, 1924 tloned bent end of the plato penetrating and 2,392,034 Elhs Jan. 1, 1941 clinched upon the strap and fastening the strap 10 23401012 Havel' Apr. 30, 1948 to the plato. 2-452-098 Brooks Oot. 26 1948 MICHAEL MITCHKO. 

